The Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR) is committed to the training of the next generation of scientists. PhD students and Postdoctoral Fellows are provided with the opportunity to learn a variety of research skills in a collaborative and supportive atmosphere. CSAR provides pre-clinical interdisciplinary training in several areas of drug abuse research including behavioral, cellular, and molecular pharmacology, neuroscience, and immunology. Trainees are involved in research investigating the effects of drugs of abuse on behavior, the brain and the immune system, as related to addiction, pain, and HIV/AIDS. Career development activities help prepare trainees for independent careers in academia, industry, or government.
Some of trainees in CSAR are supported by an institutional training grant funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse entitled: Training Program: Drugs of Abuse and Related Neuropeptides (Program Director: Ellen Unterwald, Ph.D. [click-for-email]). This NIH-funded training program supports 6 PhD students and 4 Postdoctoral Fellows who work under the guidance of highly experienced and productive faculty who are leaders in the field of substance abuse research. PhD students are selected from those enrolled in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (see below) and Postdoctoral Fellows can apply for support through their faculty mentor. [US citizenship or permanent resident status is required for NIH training grant support.]
Graduate Programs
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is an interdisciplinary program that provides students with the education, training, and skills that today's employers in academia, government and industry demand. CSAR faculty participate in the training of graduate students through this program.
With a curriculum featuring an interdisciplinary approach to education and research training, students learn how to perform as independent scientific investigators, exploring new pathways for learning and discovery.
Both the MS with thesis and PhD programs are scholarly endeavors requiring original research. The programs challenge students to think logically and creatively and to express themselves independently.
Students benefit from Temple's high faculty-to-student ratio. They receive outstanding mentoring from their advisors and faculty—all premier researchers with national and international reputations. Students are also given ample opportunity to explore options for independent study and research.
Postdoctoral Research
Faculty in CSAR provide training for Postdoctoral Fellows. Prospective postdoctoral candidates are encouraged to peruse the research interests and biographies of the faculty associated with CSAR. Inquiries about positions should be directed to faculty with whom they might like to work.
Other Educational Initiatives
Through a contract from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dr. Unterwald and colleagues developed a guide for safe opioid prescribing and recovery treatment intended to serve as a resource for clinicians.
PA-SUPPORT: Source for Understanding Pain, Prescribing Opioids, and Recovery Treatment. Written by Drs. Ellen Unterwald, Toby Eisenstein, Joseph D’Orazio, David O’Gurek, Rany Abdallah, Scott Rawls, and Martin Adler.